Undergraduate Education Programs:
The General Studies requirements for Chadron State College are available on a separate page for easy reference. You may want to open the page in a new window or tab.
The mission of the Chadron State College Teacher Education program, founded on educating Visionary Leaders, prepares candidates to teach & facilitate student learning in candidate’s respective content area of study. Candidates will gain applicable knowledge & skills in the area of assessment, curriculum, guidance, multicultural education, classroom management, professional issues, special education, psychology, children’s literature & instructional technology as part of this program.
Education in a democracy is accepted as the most important human activity for the maintenance, perpetuation, & advancement of the society. With this in mind, the Education Unit of Chadron State College is dedicated to the development of visionary leaders. The program recognizes the institutional responsibility of developing leadership which facilitates proactive behaviors in educators, for educational services to the public & non-public as well as the rural, frontier, & urban sectors. The campus reflects a sensitivity to the need of being a social model, both flexible & adaptable, to the pluralistic & multicultural nature of the dominant society.
Students within the Education Unit are valued as unique individual learners, each wanting to learn & also capable of making good learning decisions. Each student is a client to be served by the staff of CSC & in turn the student (Teacher Candidate) will serve others after graduation in their role as an educator.
We believe the educator’s role is to facilitate learning. The facilitation of learning is accomplished by creating opportunities for all learners to actively participate in the learning environment & process knowledge through methods appropriate to their individual learning styles. Our model is based, to a great extent, on the constructivist theory of learning.
The faculty within the Education Unit act upon a set of common beliefs that reflect the importance placed upon the preparation of qualified professional educators, who will assume leadership roles within the local education community & the education profession at large.
In so doing, various methods of instruction are planned to be consistent with sound theory & current research findings. The individual faculty member is free to use varied approaches & personalized techniques in instruction. In creating a non- threatening learning climate, allowances for the learning styles are encouraged & responded to through appropriate teaching styles & open communication among all participants. Learning is believed to be inherently joyful & efforts toward developing & maintaining this end are supported. The demands of the content of the subject are not diminished in the teaching effort which will produce the greatest positive change.
The six expected student learning outcomes are as follows:
Chadron State College’s Teacher Education Program is designed to produce visionary leaders. Visionary Leaders inherit our profession’s quintessential traditions & tools, & are made aware of the best contemporary educational research & developments. We bequeath a vital educational vision - one that honors both tradition & innovation - to our students.
The Visionary Leader model is depicted by three interlocking circles, each representing an interrelated area of the curriculum: General Studies, Specialty Studies, & Professional Studies. One circle, professional studies, consists of six components that make up the conceptual framework for the Education Unit. These components are:
These six areas constitute the conceptual framework for the professional preparation programs at Chadron State College. All six components are interwoven throughout the professional preparation programs.
Teaching is a profession that requires its potential candidates to be individuals of integrity. Prospective teachers must be able to demonstrate that they are individuals of strong moral character who can make mature decisions for themselves & for their students. Teachers are responsible for the education, safety & well-being for anyone in their charge. Therefore, the Chadron State College Department of Education is interested in training future teachers who show a high degree of moral character & the ability to act responsibly. These individuals must be able to serve as representatives of our College & our program.
With this in mind, should the College discover behavior, which in its reasonable judgment, establishes on the part of the candidate a lack of integrity, questionable moral/ethical character, or otherwise indicates a potential of risk to young persons & others in the educational community, the Department of Education reserves the right to deny entry to, or dismiss anyone from, any program which leads to certification. More specifically, these kinds of behavior shall be adequate foundation to deny any candidate or potential candidate from participation in any practicum, pre-practicum, teacher internship or similar field experience, since the interests & safety of the children, & young people present in the classroom, schools & other venues where these field experiences take place are paramount.
Problematic behaviors, which the Department of Education reasonably determines renders the candidate a risk to the educational community, or demonstrates a likelihood of illegal activity, may be established by any credible means, including the facts surrounding a record of arrests and/or convictions.
Similarly, behaviors which result in a finding by a court or other governmental body that the individual is:
The Nebraska Department of Education policy requires that a person with felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct shall not be allowed to participate in pre-teacher internship, laboratory and/or classroom field experiences or intern experiences without approval by the Board of Education. To comply with this policy, the Chadron State College Department of Education will require each student to affirm under oath that he/she does not have any convictions in the above-named areas prior to each field experience placement. If a student does have any felony or misdemeanor convictions, he/she is required to meet with the Chadron State College Certification Officer, as soon as possible. Students with questions pertaining to convictions should also contact this office.
Chadron State College recognizes its obligation to prospective candidates for teaching, to the public schools, & to the state, by giving careful consideration to each applicant for admission into the Teacher Education Program. Qualities believed essential to good teaching are considered through professional judgment in determining the applicant’s qualifications for entering the program. These include:
Students interested in becoming candidates for teacher education must enroll in the class Introduction to Teaching the semester they wish to apply for admittance (normally in the freshman year, and/or before the end of the junior year). This course enables students to study the field of teaching & to evaluate their knowledge, skills, & dispositions as potential teachers.
To be fully accepted into the Teacher Education Program, candidates must meet the following requirements:
Students who fail to meet all the above requirements will be denied admission until such time as the criteria are met.
The Professional Year is comprised of the following two semesters of study: Professional Semester (Block) & the Teacher Internship semester (Student Teaching).
The student, in cooperation of his/her advisor, must make application for the Professional Year by March 1 for Fall semester enrollment & November 1 for Spring semester enrollment; this must be done during the applicant’s Junior Year of study. The student & the advisor must be sure that all prerequisites for entrance into the Professional Year are properly met before making application. These prerequisites include admission to candidacy, appropriate grade point averages stated, & satisfactory references indicated. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the application being returned to the student’s advisor until such time as they are met. The application will be presented to the chairperson of the department who will take the application for evaluation by the department faculty to be voted upon. If supported by a “yes” vote, the Chairperson endorses the application, & then forwards the application to the Director of Field Experiences. Each application submitted to the Director of Field Experiences must be approved by the department or departments in which the applicant is pursuing an area or areas of specialization. Academic department approval or disapproval must be indicated on each application. If the department does not approve the application, the student is not eligible for admission to the Professional Year. The Director of Field Experiences will present all applications to the Screening Committee for final consideration.
To qualify for admission into the Professional Year, the candidate must have completed the following criteria:
The specific step-by-step process required for being admitted into the Professional Year is as follows:
If a student in the program for teacher education is suspended from the college, he/she automatically is removed from the Teacher Education program. If the student should later be accepted for re-admission to the college, it will be necessary for him/her to reapply for admission to the teacher education program should he/she desire to re-enter the program.
A student who is denied admission to teacher education or who is administratively withdrawn from their teaching internship, may appeal the denial or administrative withdrawal by contacting the Director of Field Experiences for due process procedures.
To be eligible to enter the teaching internship semester the candidate must meet the following requirements:
Chadron State College requires teacher interning full-days for one semester or a minimum of ten (10) weeks fulldays for each Field endorsement taught during a given semester. Interning is a full-time position. Therefore, students will not be allowed to take additional course work during their internship semester. In addition, it is strongly suggested that teacher interns not engage in additional employment during their placement.
To be recommended for Teacher Licensure or program certification, the student must have (1) completed teaching internship with a minimum G.P.A. of 2.50 or above in each area of endorsement, (2) met all course & credit requirements for endorsement in their specialization fields, (3) received departmental approval & recommendation, (4) met all graduation requirements for the appropriate degree, (5) passed the Praxis II exam if an elementary and/or special education major, & (6) filed an application with the Certification Officer, including a notarized statement that he/she has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct, & an oath of Mental Capacity.
A student seeking an additional endorsement after completing his/her degree program must complete the appropriate endorsement course work & officially notify the Teacher Certification Officer upon completion of the endorsement program/course work. Then proceed as outlined in (5) above.
In rare cases, permission may be granted for a student to graduate without a recommendation for certification. This provision is for the student who does not qualify for or is removed from their teacher internship. However, there are times when, because of illness or other extreme situations, a student will decide not to complete all professional requirements. In this situation, the student should contact his or her advisor, & then complete a formal request to the Chadron State College Vice President for Academic Affairs to be allowed to graduate without completing all certification requirements. If permission is granted, an appropriate amended plan of study will be determined.
Any student who graduates without a recommendation for certification will not be recommended for teacher certification in any state. If, at some future time, the student wishes to complete certification requirements, (s)he must first reapply for readmission to the teacher education program. At least one semester must pass after graduation before the application can be made. Upon readmission to the Teacher Education program, the student will complete all requirements in effect at the time of reentry, including passing grades in all methods courses.
Chadron State College is a member of the Nebraska Council on Teacher Education, a teacher education governance and recommending body to the Nebraska Department of Education; therefore, all students majoring in early childhood, elementary, middle grades, or secondary education programs are subject to any program rule changes that may occur while a student is enrolled. If a student has not completed their program of study within three years following the program change, he/she will be required to adjust his/her program to reflect the change.
A student must complete the following program in addition to the General Studies requirements, & either one field endorsement or one subject endorsement program:
The following courses are prerequisites to the Professional Year (2.50 minimum G.P.A. required & no grade may be below a “C”):
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 131 | Intro to Teaching | 3 |
| EDUC 224 | Multimedia Support of Instruction/Learning | 2 |
| EDUC 300 | Secondary Obs. Participation | 1-3 |
| PSYC 231 | Educ Psychology | 3 |
| SPED 230 | Intro Except Learner | 3 |
| SPED 334 | Differ Instr for Diverse Classroom | 2 |
| At least one subject or field endorsement | 30-66 | |
| Total hours | 44-82 | |
| Admission to Candidacy must be completed before the end of the junior year. | ||
Comprised of “Block” Professional Semester & Teacher Internship Experience semester (Student Teaching). The following courses can be taken only as part of the Professional Year (2.50 minimum G.P.A. required): refer to Application for Professional Year requirements.
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 411 | Reading/Writing in the Content Areas | 1 |
| EDUC 412 | Secondary/MS General Methods | 1 |
| EDUC 414 | Classroom Mgmt | 1 |
| EDUC 415 | Human Relations/Multicultural | 1 |
| EDUC 418 | Secondary/MS Assessment | 1 |
| EDUC 431(A-S)* | Special Methods | 3 |
| SPED 412 | SPED Practices & Strategies | 1 |
| Total hours | 9 | |
| *Students pursuing two Subject Endorsements must complete EDUC 431, Special Methods, in both subject areas. One special methods course should be taken prior to the Professional Year. The second special methods course must be taken the first semester of the Professional Year (Block), if offered. Also, the student must have a G.P.A. of 2.50 or better in the Special Methods course(s). | ||
Course requirements for secondary level endorsements programs in the following subjects or fields are listed in each departmental section of this catalog (2.50 G.P.A. required):
*Supplemental Endorsements Programs: These programs do not stand alone, & must be completed in addition to either a subject or field endorsement program.
EDUC 480K, Teacher Interning K-12, or EDUC 490S, Secondary Teacher Interning, courses can be taken only upon the successful completion of the above Semester #1 – “Block” courses (minimum G.P.A. of 2.50 required).
A student must complete the following program in addition to the General Studies & Middle Grades Content Area Specialization requirements.
The following courses are prerequisites to the Professional Year (2.50 minimum G.P.A. required & no grade may be below a “C”):
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 131 | Intro to Teaching | 3 |
| EDUC 224 | Multimedia Support Instr/Learning | 2 |
| EDUC 320 | Elementary/MS Obs. & Participation | 2 |
| EDUC 431 (A-L)* | Special Methods | 6 |
| EDUC 433 | The Middle School | 3 |
| PSYC 231 | Ed Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 336 | Adolescent Psychology | 3 |
| SPED 230 | Intro Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| SPED 334 | Diff Instr for Diverse Classrooms | 2 |
| *One (1) Elementary Methods course, from below | 2-3 | |
| Content Area of Specialization from below | 36 | |
| Total hours | 65-66 | |
| Admission to the Teacher Education Program must be completed before the end of the junior year. *Two special methods courses are required: one for each 18 credit hour special content area. One special area methods course should be taken during the first semester of the Professional Year, Block, if offered. |
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Choose one related to the special content area. (See Below)
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 334 | Art for Elem./MS Teacher | 2 |
| EDUC 321 | Teach Elem/MS Mathematics | 2 |
| EDUC 322 | Teach Elem/MS Language Arts | 3 |
| EDUC 323 | Teach Elem/MS Social Studies | 2 |
| HPER 339 | Theory of Physical Educ K-8 | 3 |
| MUS 333 | Music for the Classroom Teacher | 3 |
| Total hours | ||
The applicant must complete a minimum of two 18 credit hour Content Areas of Specializations. Course requirements for each of the offered Content Areas of Specialization are outlined within the appropriate departmental sections of this catalog/bulletin.
Comprised of “Block” Professional Semester & Teacher Internship Experience semester (Student Teaching)
Students pursuing the Middle Grades Endorsement program may select to complete their Professional Year course work requirements by enrolling in either the Elementary Professional Year (Elementary Block route) or the Secondary Professional Year (Secondary Block route). Options are outlined below.
The following courses can be taken only as part of the Professional Year (2.50 minimum G.P.A. required): refer to Application for Professional Year requirements.
Refer to Application for Professional Semester
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 413 | Elem/MS Curric. & Counseling | 1 |
| EDUC 414 | Classroom Mgmt | 1 |
| EDUC 415 | Human Relations/Multicultural | 1 |
| EDUC 416 | Elem/MS Assessment | 1 |
| EDUC 417 | Teach Reading & Writing Diagnosis | 1 |
| EDUC 422 | Teach Elem/MS Science & Health | 2 |
| EDUC 423 | Teach Primary Reading & Writing | 2 |
| EDUC 424 | Teach Interm. Reading & Writing | 2 |
| SPED 412e | SPED Practices & Strategies | 1 |
| Total hours | 12 | |
Refer to Application for Professional Semester
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 411 | Reading/Writing in the Content Areas | 1 |
| EDUC 412 | Secondary/MS General Methods | 1 |
| EDUC 414 | Classroom Mgmt | 1 |
| EDUC 415 | Human Relations/Multicultural | 1 |
| EDUC 418 | Secondary/MS Assessment | 1 |
| SPED 412s | SPED Practices & Strategies | 1 |
| Total hours | 6 | |
EDUC 480I, Teacher Internship Intermediate, and/or EDUC 480M, Teacher Internship Middle School, can be taken only after the successful completion of the Professional Semester (Block) courses (minimum G.P.A. of 2.50 required).
This program covers special instructional methods in science, health, reading, student & program assessment (tests & measurements), curriculum, guidance, multicultural & human relations, classroom management, & other pertinent professional topics & issues. The student registers for EDUC 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 422, 423 & 424 in their senior year (the Professional Semester – “Block”). Upon successful completion of the above courses (minimum 2.50 G.P.A. required), the student is then eligible to enroll in the Teacher Internship Experience the following semester.
Elementary majors will intern at a primary level (K-3) & an intermediate level (4-6). Students who have K-12 endorsements in addition to their elementary major/endorsement will intern in their elementary area for part of the Internship semester & in the 7-12 area the other portion of the Internship semester.
A student must complete the following program requirements in addition to the General Studies program requirements & one minor program of study OR an additional endorsement program:
The following courses are prerequisites to the Professional Year (2.50 minimum G.P.A. required no grade may be below a “C”):
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 131 | Intro to Teaching | 3 |
| EDUC 224 | Multimedia Support of Instruction/Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 320 | Elem/MS Obs & Participation | 3 |
| SPED 230 | Intro to the Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| PSYC 231 | Educ Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 332 PSYC 334 |
Child Psychology or Developmental Psychology |
3 |
| SPED 334 | Dif. Instruction for Diverse Classrooms | 2 |
| Total hours | 18 | |
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 334 | Art for the Elem/MS Teacher | 3 |
| ENG 235 | Children’s Literature | 3 |
| EDUC 321 | Teach Elem/MS Mathematics | 3 |
| EDUC 322 | Teach Elem/MS Language Arts | 3 |
| EDUC 323 | Teach Elem/MS Social Studies | 3 |
| HPER 339 | Theory of Physical Educ K-8 | 3 |
| MATH 235 | Math for the Elem Teacher I | 3 |
| MATH 335* | Math for the Elem Teacher II | 3 |
| MUS 333 | Music for the Elementary Teacher | 3 |
| Total hours | 24 | |
| Admission to the Teacher Education Program must be completed before the end of the junior year. *Can be taken before or during the Professional Year |
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Course requirements for the following minors and/or endorsements programs are listed in each departmental section of this catalog/bulletin. One minor OR a second endorsement is required (minimum 2.50 G.P.A. required). Three-fourths (75%) of the minor or second endorsement program course work must be completed prior to entry into the “Block” (first semester) of the professional year.
Comprised of “Block” Professional Semester & Teacher Internship Experience semester (Student Teaching)
The following courses can be taken only as part of the Professional Year (minimum 2.50 G.P.A. required): Refer to the Professional Year Application Requirements.
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 413 | Elem/MS Curric. & Counseling | 1 |
| EDUC 414 | Classroom Mgmt | 1 |
| EDUC 415 | Human Relations/Multicultural | 1 |
| EDUC 416 | Elem/MS Assessment | 1 |
| EDUC 417 | Teach Reading & Writing Diagnosis | 1 |
| EDUC 422 | Teach Elem/MS Science & Health | 2 |
| EDUC 423 | Teach Primary Reading & Writing | 2 |
| EDUC 424 | Teach Interm. Reading & Writing | 2 |
| SPED 412e | SPED Practices & Strategies | 1 |
| Total hours | 12 | |
*The following courses may be taken only upon the successful completion of the above (Semester #1 “Block”) courses (minimum G.P.A. of 2.50 required):
NOTE: The Praxis II: Elementary Education Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Exam (as required by the Nebraska Department of Education) must be taken as a requisite for graduation.
It is strongly recommended that a student complete the following program in conjunction with a K-8 Elementary Education Endorsement program, in addition to the General Studies & Professional Education program requirements.
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 231 | Play, Art & Music for Early Childhood | 3 |
| EDUC 232 | Sci., Math & Soc. Sci. for Early Child | 3 |
| EDUC 233 | Lit. & Lang. Arts for Early Childhood | 3 |
| FCS 139 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| FCS 237 | Guid. Tech. In Human Relations | 3 |
| FCS 238 | Prenatal & Infant Develop | 3 |
| FCS 239 | Parenting in a Contemp. Society | 3 |
| FCS 321 | Curr Dev in Family & Con Sci Educ | 2 |
| FCS 332 FCS 335 |
Family Studies or Families in Society |
3 |
| FCS 423 | Program Mgmt | 3 |
| FCS 448 | Early Childhood Practicum | 4 |
| Total hours | 33 | |
| NOTE: The Praxis II: Elementary Education Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Exam (as required by the Nebraska Department of Education) must be taken as a requisite for graduation. | ||
These courses must be completed along with the Elementary Education Field Endorsement curriculum.
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 231 | Play, Art & Music for Early Childhood | 3 |
| EDUC 232 | Sci., Math & Soc. Sci. for Early Child | 3 |
| EDUC 233 | Lit. & Lang. Arts for Early Childhood | 3 |
| FCS 139 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| FCS 237 | Guid. Tech. in Human Relations | 3 |
| FCS 239 | Partners in Early Childhood Educ | 3 |
| FCS 321 | Curr Dev in Family & Con Sci Educ. | 3 |
| FCS 423 | Program Management | 3 |
| FCS 448 | Early Childhood Practicum | 3 |
| Total hours | 27 | |
To add another endorsement to an existing teaching/administrative certificate, the student must complete the appropriate departmental & endorsement area coursework. To determine coursework requirements, the student should complete an Evaluation for an Added Endorsement Form in cooperation with their teacher educator (Advisor) in the department offering the endorsement. The student must then notify the Teacher Certification Officer when the program coursework is complete & request that the subsequent Endorsement be posted (or added) to the student’s official transcript. The student must then submit a Nebraska Application for Teacher Certification to the CSC Certification Office, in order for the State Department of Education to add this new endorsement to the student’s teaching certificate. The CSC Certification Office is unable to process requests to add endorsements/programs to a teaching certificate until this procedure is completed.